Semi-weekly south Kentuckian., 1887-12-16
ssBasaE esllim ABssaa tie IA.sS,
State co&merts law.

A bill was introduced by Senator
Cullom Tuesday TO amend the inter-
state commerce act which embodiss
the most important suggestions that
have been made for the correction OF
defects in the law, including the re.
concentrations of the Commission
era The amendments are yolumin-
ous and in minute legal form. The
following is synopsis of their more
important provisions:
"First-To extend the provisions OF
the act SO as to make the act apply to
express, sleeping car, drawing-room
car, palace car, stock and tank car
companies and any other companies,
associations or persons furnishing for
public use upon railroad cars and
other instrumentalities for the trans
portation of persons or property.
"Second-The words for other car
rieri' are inserted twice in the fifth
section so as TO prohibit not only
pooling between different railroads,
but between different railroads and
other carriers.
"Ihird-In the sixth section, which
relates to the publication of rates, the
provisions with respect to the ad-
vance and reduction in rates are re-
pealed so as to apply specifically to
joint through rates. The short haul
provision is also repealed in order
that there shall be no question that it
also applied to joint through rates.
"Fourth-As TO the short haul pro-
vision, it is provided that where COM
plant is made against two or more
carriers for violating it, and the vio-
lations occur between points on the
road of one only, that road ouly shall
be held liable for the violation.
"Fifth-The commission is author
lied to prescribe the form in which
the schedule prescribed by the law for
public inspection shall be prepared or
arranged. No special form is pre-
scribed in the law.
"Sixth-The commission is also
authorized TO make provision for the
official publication of its decisions.
"Seyenth-An addition to Section
10, which relates to compensation foi
damages, is proposed to the effect
that when complaint is seeking tC
recover damages, the carries may file
with the commission its consent that
the commission may pass on the q1es-
ton of damages, and in such case the
carriers shall be bound by the decis-
ion of the commission, and the decis-
ion of the commission shall stand as
judgment which may be enforced by
execution by United States marshals
in the same manner as Judgments
Of the United States Circuit Courts
are enforced. In case such assent
is not filed, the commission may in
vestigate and report the subject of
damages, and if it shall report that
the complainant has suffered dam
ages to a specified amount, it may
name the time for the payment for
such damages, and if tho carrier shall
make the payment within the time
named, the sum shall be in full salts
faction of any claim the complainant
may have under the act in respect to
the grievances complained of; but if
such payment is not made the COM
plainant may proceed in any United
States court of competing jurisdiction
TO recover damages for the wrong
suffered, aud such proceedings, find
ing, and report OF the commission
shall be prima facie evidence of the
facts found"
The provision is also made to take
the commission out of the jurisdiction
of the Interior Department and make
it Independent, and to require it to
report direct to Congress, as RECON-
mended by the Secretary of the lutte
rior. There are some other minor
changes, but these ar the most impor-
tant ones.